OS Flying Unit now in print

Our Flying Unit has been immortalised by the iconic Squadron Prints who produce the highly acclaimed series of aircraft and ship lithographic prints. One of the Cessna 404 Titan’s we use, G-FIFA, features on the stunning print.

Our Flying Unit operate from East Midlands Airport, taking to the skies above Great Britain between February and November each year. Professional pilots take our air camera operators up in two Cessna 404s, G-FIFA and G-TASK, to take aerial imagery of over 50,000 square kilometres of the country each season. From the Scilly Isles to the Shetland Islands, the team will capture over 140,000 aerial images each year, using the 196-megapixel cameras on-board the planes.

Looking at Birmingham Airport down the lens of the on-board camera

Flying aerial imagery means we can keep on top of the data capture process – making continuous revisions of the whole nation’s landscape, including Britain’s urban, rural, moorland and mountain terrain. This imagery is a key component in many of our mapping databases and products and it’s the essence of OS MasterMap Imagery Layer.

Getting aerial photography is obviously dependent on the weather and clearance from Air Traffic Control and we rely on making the most of any bright, clear days to enable us to collect data. The team of seven camera operators divide their time between field or remote sensing geospatial surveying, and their Flying Unit roles. They work on a rotation basis, being available seven days a week at the Flying Unit to ensure we capitalise on good weather windows.

Our Flying Unit

Our Flying Unit (left to right, but minus new member Jim in this photo) are Roger, Adrian, Andrew, Iain, Trevor and Stefan.

The history of aerial imagery at OS

The Squadron Prints are marking 50 years of OS having a Flying Unit, but did you know that we’ve been flying aerial imagery for around 100 years? During the First World War, OS surveyors were tasked with surveying and plotting trench lines – a difficult task in terrible circumstances. Aerial imagery gave a faster overview of the changing battlefields. It was originally flown by the RAF, up until the Second World War, when OS bought their own cameras and trained air camera operators. OS then used planes provided by the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation. As with the RAF, flying aerial imagery for OS was a secondary duty, so in 1966 the OS Flying Unit was formed, operating from Blackpool Airport.

Spotted a plane zig-zagging the skies? It could be OS surveying.

Aerial imagery or photo from the air?

If you follow us on Instagram, you may have seen us sharing photos which the team take whilst out and about above Britain. These are snaps the team take on their phones and cameras while they are in between surveying targets. These shots are different to our aerial imagery. Take a look below for a comparison.

Win a Squadron Print of the OS Flying Unit

We have 25 of these fantastic prints to give away. All you need to do is correctly answer the three questions under these three photos taken by our Flying Unit. Post your answers on the blog by midnight on Thursday 31 August.

2. The mountain in the immediate foreground is Beinn a Chrulaiste showing the ridge dring away to the right to Stob Beinn a Chrulaiste. The MOuntains in the Mid Foreground is Stob Dearg and the Buachaille Etive Mor ridge.

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About Us

OS is Britain's mapping agency. We make the most up-to-date and accurate maps of the country. But we're also a digital business, and we use our content to help governments, companies and individuals to be more effective both here and around the world.